Better to rent a stroller or bring your own to disney

[kinghorse]

I was wondering if the stroller rentals at Disney have any storage on them, cup holders, etc or should I just bring my own stroller. Thank you

 

[Ellester]

There are a few little pockets on the back, enough for a couple of sippy cups and maybe a VERY small bag. They are crazy expensive now to rent as well, $15 a day for a single, $31 for a double.

 

[daleswife]

strollers at disney are expensive IMO, however the task of carrying them on the buses is horrible. They have a pocket in the back of them. Im not sure on the cup holder. Not much storage. I always just take my own.

 

[AnitaDisneyVacation]

We always brought our own stroller because we would usually close the parks. Our daughter would nod off at the end of the night, and it can be a long walk to either the shuttle bus stops or to your car. We didn't relish the thought of carrying a sleeping child at the end of the night.

We had a relatively lightweight stroller (one up from an umbrella) that had a storage basket underneath and a reclining seat. We put stroller hooks on it for bags, etc.

The other thing we didn't like about rentals is that it is hard to distinguish your stroller in the sea of other rentals - especially on rides where the cast members park you stroller for you.

 

[disneylover27]

I bring my own stroller:
a: when the baby falls asleep at night no one has to carry them to the sometimes looooooong transportation line. (although you do have to take him out eventually)
b: the resort is pretty big, and there are no strollers to rent.
c: you don't have to search the other strollers that look just like yours to find your name.
d: more storage space.

 

[tanyaandallie]

We always bring our own! More comfy and less expensive.

 

[scootch]

With the price increase, I say bring your own... UNLESS.. you are like me, with older children who still need shade and rest.... then rent a double. The double for my 6 year old is 'priceless'.

 

[eyor44]

or instead of bringing your own, you could join one of the stroller swaps. That way you have a stroller for the whole time you are there and it is much cheaper. There are single and double swaps going on right now. Look on the budget board for one that might fit your needs.

 

[momtomatthew]

We always just rent a stroller- for us it's easier than carrying it on the plane and the buses. DS doesn't use a stroller anywhere but WDW, and we just budget it as one of our expenses. It has a small pocket on the back and two other pockets on the back that can hold cups.

 

[mjkacmom]

We rent, and fit dd7, dd5, and ds5 in it. It's more like a wagon, easy to climb in and out of, and we put our backpack in it, too. We tie a scarf to it, and bring bright cardstock with our info on it, instead of using the Disney one provided.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would say that if you have younger child, you are better off with your own. The Disney strollers do NOT have any cup holders or great places to hold your packages. And of course they are insanely expensive. A double stroller is almost half the price of a child's single day admission. But the one time we had a double, it was a lifesaver. Room for child AND packages. Now that's luxury!

For the older child, the Disney strollers are PERFECT. They are easy to push and can take turns with packages for a needed break later in the day. My daughter is 7 and wouldn't be caught dead in a stroller at home. But after a few hours walking around the parks, it's a lifesaver for everyone. It's also SO much easier to work through a crowd with them safely tucked into the stroller than to worry about getting separated.

 

[Hope73]

I bought the Stroller they sell at Disney and loved it. they are simillar to an umbrella stroller but much more durable. I have used mine twice, it has a cup holder, little bag in back and a canopy. I think I paid 40.

 

[t-beri]

YOu know, in the past this would have been clear cut for me I would say RENT ONE. One thing I like about the rentals is that they are very sturdy and previously I could get a double and if my older son got tired he could rest... but now at 10 that is less possible. and w/ the price of strollers going up it is definitely cheaper to bring your own.

Things I DON'T like about taking your own stroller.
getting on and off of disney transportation. Taking a stroller onto Disney buses is such a pain. Especially if you are just about to miss it and now you have to run PLUS empty and fold up a stroller.

If you are not taking a Disney bus or boat this could still be a factor at the park if you are going to take the train. If you have a rental you take your stroller name tag and kids and ALL ABOARD! if you have your own stroller it's again, the emptying and folding and lugging pain in the butt.

Now that my Lil is 3 there is a much better chance of us taking an umbrella stroller or the like w/ us instead of lugging that huge deluxe stroller around. Poor Mac will have to walk this year...He was so excited to have an "adult" ticket (more than I was for sure ) wait till he hears he won't get to sit in the stroller

 

[natnelliesmom]

We have a B.O.B. Revolution Duallie- double stroller for DD3 and DD5. It is the best stroller and both kids fit in with room to spare! It's super light and practically pushes itself.
We do use it at the airport as well- take it right to the gate and from the gate when we arrive. I like knowing that my DDs are right in the stroller and not wandering or getting lost in the crowds.
They do get TIRED after miles of walking- so it's nice to have it for the walk back from the bus to our room at night.
That said... it is a pain getting it on and off the bus. But my DH handles that part so it's easy for me! He's the best and he makes it look easy.
I think it's better to bring your own. I also agree with PP- that if you don't need it for air travel- do a stroller swap! It'll save you money and then you'll have the stroller outside of the parks as well.
-Sarah

 

[Eeyoreloverforever]

I think it depends on the age of your child.

When the kids were much younger we took our own because we wanted it ALL the time (throught the airport, shopping, walking back to the tram, monorail, car). But I hated having to fold it up and lug it on and off of things and worrying if it went missing because a CM had moved it, but I thought it had been taken.

Now we rent a double. They are expensive, but we just figure it into the cost of our trip, considering how much you spend to go to Disney it isn't that much of the budget. The kids can walk to and from things and around the mall, but the parks are too much for them. Those strollers are the BEST. They ride so smoothly, we get a double and both kids can get in. The back has a place for a cup or two and we just hang our bag on the handle or put it on top of the shade. We try to travel light. I would rather budget extras into my trip and pay for the convenience of not lugging things around the hot park, especially when my feet hurt. Now I am just trying to figure something great for distinguishing our rented strollers from others that can easily be removed at the end of the day when we return it.

 

[pk1023]

I think with us we learned as we went. Our DS'es were 1 and 1/2 and 3 and 1/2 at the time of our trip this June.

We got the double for 2 days, yeah that was a hard 60 bucks to part with, but we THOUGHT it'd be the best move.

Well, a 1 and 3 yr old fight to much to use a double, that was obvious by about 20 steps into the Animal Kingdom.

Here's a trick, we went back and asked for 2 SINGLES and they obliged us! Now I am not sure this is policy so much, but doesn't hurt to ask and get mad if they don't!

By the second day, we were using our own umbrella with a storage bag underneath for the little guy... The Disney stroller swallowed him up.

 

[perriwinkleblue]

I would bring a stroller for 2 reasons:
1. The walk to and from buses is long (for a kid) and carrying a sleeping child after walking so much yourself is not a treat.
2. If you are flying, you can use it in the airport and gate-check it. It will be waiting for you at the door of the plane. It makes the airport easier to navigate.

Make sure you bring a stroller that folds up easily and quickly, is lightweight and is small enough so as not to be cumbersome on crowded buses. We bring an umbrella type stroller that's slightly nicer than the cheapy ones (Chicco Caddy). It has an awning and cup holder. Ours also came with a rain cover. This came in handy for those soaking downpours when the kids were too little for plastic ponchos.
Have a great trip